The Letter
by silvi-hc
Summary: Spike gets a letter of some great importance. [Spike, Anya]


**Title: _The Letter_**

**Author: **Silvi

**Fandom:** Btvs

**Disclaimers:** The characters you recognize belong to Joss Whedon.

**Rating:** G

**Characters:** Spike, Anya.

**AN#1:** I found this today on one of my many diskettes that I have laying around, it´s a ficlett from another story called "Myths Turned Truth" that I´m editing since I found it yesterday. It´s a ficlett from Spike POV.

**AN#2:** I´m not sure whether to continue it after, it depends on the feedback. I´ve made Anya here a friend of Spike, to most of you she may seam OOC but considering that I haven´t actually seen Btvs beyond season IV I have only one thing to say, Nyahhh. Anyway I like this Anya and I´m keeping her this way. Also I don´t know where exactly in the seasons this take place only that she is not together with Xander here, Buffy has returned from Heaven and been really mean to Spike.

**AN#3:** To those of you that have been reading my other WIPs I haven´t abandon them, I am a multiple task-er which naturally makes everything go slower, I´ve decided – in a way to be kinder to you – to not post until I have a couple of chapters ready and then post them in a bunch. That way you have more to read but it also means that it be longer between updates.

**Acknowledgement:** to Pat for betaing this. I absolutely love it.

**Summary:** Spike gets a letter of some great importance.

* * *

A timid knock aroused Spike from his drowsy state as he waited for Dawn to arrive as she had done every night the last couple of weeks in spite her sister's direct order against it. 

He was a little surprised as he looked at his cheap watch – a present from his lil´niblet – and noticed that she was early.

Shaking his head he stood up and walked towards the door. Sniffing, his suspicion of it not being her was confirmed before he opened the door, revealing a young boy standing nervously shifting form one foot to the other darting his eyes every which way before landing on the rough looking man before him. The boy was holding something inside his denim blue jacket.

Appraising the lad before him Spike catalogued everything within seconds. The boy couldn´t be more then 13 years old, lanky with dirty blond hair that fell over his open green eyes.Which begged the question, what the hell he was doing out in a cemetery and before his crypt?

"What?"

The boy's eyes widened almost impossibly bigger at the barely growled words from the man leaning before him against the opening of the crypt.

"Err," came his timid voice, "you Mr Spike...err William the Bloody?"

Lifting his brow in surprise at the words he nevertheless nodded affirmatively. As the boy reached further into his jacket he couldn´t but tense a little even though he didn´t sense any threat from the boy, though if he had learned anything living above the hell mouth it was to never judge a book by it´s cover...sorta anyway.

Shaking his head for his wandering thoughts his eyes landed on the plain white envelope the boy was handing over to him. Eyes narrowing he took it and before he could say anything the boy gave a half bow and sprinted away, surprisingly fast for a human, and disappeared around a mausoleum.

Looking down at the envelope he absently noticed the thickness and texture of it. Obviously even though it was plain it was of a very good quality. Lifting it to his nose he inhaled, eyes narrowing as a familiar scent drifted up to him. As he turned around and walked inside the gloomy interior of the crypt he tried to grasp the alluding knowledge of who it could be from.

Slumping into the ratty old couch he had manage to get his hands on a while back, he fingered the envelope, weighing the pros and cons against opening the thing. The whole situation put him on edge and the boy's strange behaviour was disconcerting to say the least. Shoving his concern aside and seeing as he still had to wait for Dawn to appear he decided to open it.

Tearing it open he turned it upside down and as he took the letter out something fell into his lap.

Looking down after throwing the now empty envelope over his shoulder, he held the sheets of paper in his other hand and gingerly picked up the small object. It was an old signet ring. He´d guessed it would be at least a couple of centuries. It had a strange symbol on the flat surface of the ring. It looked like an A with an outline of a moon or a sun and the beak of a strange creature.

The composition tugged something in his memory but kept slipping his mind. He should know this symbol; he felt it into his very bones. Putting it on the armrest he briefly glanced at it before unravelling the several sheets of paper. What was going on?

_Hello William. _

_For your own wellbeing I suggest you actually read the letter to its end before you throw it away on the account of who is sending it to you_.

What the fuck? Peaches!? He recognized immediately the handwriting. Leaping up he was about to throw away the letter when he froze in mid swing. He practically shook from his effort to actually throw the thing away but there was something in him that refused to let him do it. Sadly he sighed, accepting defeat and sank into the couch again muttering, "Since when did you care about my well being?"

Folding up the letter again he grudgingly continued to read,

_Yes it is I, Angel. _

Snorting Spike smirked as he simultaneously lifted his eyebrow, absently hearing the door to the crypt opening.

_Though I can very well imagine your colourful explicit names you have for me to use instead. Be that as it may, it is not why I am sending this letter. _

No shiting me, eh? Why the bloody hell would you? Sarcasm dripping from every word as he thought. He was a little unnerved by the fact that Angel seamed to be answering his thoughts.

_Why am I doing it? It is the best form during the circumstances and the only way I can think of that you´d be able to listen to what I have to say and as I previously wrote it would be wise for you to hear me out._

Yeah yeah, I´m hearing you, though you have nothing interesting to say so far, as usual...

_Ever wonder how come it was our line that ruled the Aurelius Line and not one of the many others that are running around? Why it was the Master or Heinrich as his name was, Darla, and well, I guess you could say me..._

What the hell? Where did that come from?

_I imagine that you haven´t. You never did like living in the past nor hearing about anything that had to do with anyone that wasn´t you – or Dru. Not that it´s a bad thing but you must have been the most self-involved creature I had ever come across. Catering to only your needs and granted, Drusilla's. _

_See I do acknowledge your efforts in that department. I wasn´t blind, whatever you may think but that´s neither here nor there..._

Just get on with the bloody thing! Why the heck would he bring that up, he knows that´s a bloody mine trap.

_Why am I dragging this up? It has to do with the ring I sent you. _

Shuddering as once again Angel seemed to have been able to pick up his line of thoughts he shook his head. Stretching out he grabbed the ring and turning it around, he looked at it before he turned his attention to the letter, the ring still in his hand.

_There can only be one head of the family no matter how unsuitable he or she may be, if they are not suitable they don´t tend to last long. The reason why old Heinrich was "The Master" is because he is a direct descendent to Aurelius himself. I´ve heard that he even was his human child not only by Blood but flesh as well which I can see it happen considering Heinrich isn´t his real name – no more then Spike is yours or Angel is mine. _

Uh oh, he wasn´t likening were things where going. The whole atmosphere of the letter was beginning to make him itch, put him on edge.

_Do you see where I´m going with this? If there ever was a royal blood line you are a part of it._

No WAY! Cool... He could feel the big grin grow on his face.

_I being a Childe of Darla who in turn was a Childe of Heinrich – the line carries directly to you as you are of me – no matter what tales you´ve been telling about your sireing. _

Fuck, he´s heard of ´em?

_Yes, I have heard them and I won´t tell you of my actions when I did nor will I address them here as they holds little importance now._

Why the fuck not? Isn´t he worth it? Does he means so little to him...As he continues to read his face is once again carrying a scowl.

_The ring is carried from one – well for a lack of a better word - "King" or "Queen" depending of who holds the rights – to another. It is the royal emblem. _

A worried crease appears between his brows, where is he going with this?

_Due to Drusilla's "state" it is something she will never hold. Especially after the ritual we preformed shortly after she was made. It would have befallen to Penn but he...passed away a few years ago. _

Yeah right! I know exactly what you did. You bloody Childe killer!

_Not that I think you´d care but I have had some...rough times lately and I have finally made a decision and am sticking with it. Did you know that I have a son, not a Childe but a son conceived by the human way? _

_If you do not it doesn´t matter only this, there is no way for him to rightfully hold the ring, first of all due to the simple fact that he is not a vampire and no matter that his veins are full of both mine and his mother's blood, his mind and actions of late have nullified him, one could say. _

_Beside wouldn´t you agree that no respectable vampire would ever follow a human. Not in the matter that really counts anyway._

Burrowing deeper into the couch he nods affirmative at the statement about the human boy, he had heard about it from the demon grapevine.

_I know that you have had some difficulties in Sunnydale lately, I haven´t gone so far off that I´m completely out of the loop with what happens with my childer. I have only one thing to say about that. I am sorry. If it ever was a thing I would wish to spare you it is that._

What the hell?! He knows? Gulping he shook his head to clear it from the sudden light-headiness.

_Surprise? _

Well that´s a bloody YEAH!

_Well you should be since I know that you do not hold me with any high regards, actually I don´t think you hold me in any regards, but be that as it may once again that holds little importance now. _

_I can only hope that you do not lose yourself as she is prone to do to one. Do not sell yourself short. You are not worthless and quite frankly she is not deserving of you. But most importantly it is not befitting to the new Master of our family._

M- m- master? The colour drains from his face as finally the impact of what he has been reading hits him. He begins to slightly shake. He so didn´t like where this was going. He may not...hm...like Angel but this- this...

_There is a myth that I have found to my delight holds every bit of truth. Remember the few times when you where brought to the court and Heinrich had us all sit around him while he told us tales? There was one that caught your interest..._

_Remember? _

_Well I have decided._

_I wish you all the best of luck and I have no doubt you will be able to carry out your duties. _

_It´s been an honour. _

_Yours eternally,_

_Angel or if you prefer_

_Angelus_

The sheets fall from his suddenly numb fingers. He stares at them as they fall like autumn leaves to the ground. His vision blurs as he remembers that day which Angel was referring to.

It had caught his attention for the plain stupidity of it all but if it was true as Angel said then- then... A holding cell for the ancient.

If it was true and Angel went there, went through it, then it would mean that he really would lose him forever!

Opening his hand that had been clenching tightly around the ring he fully grasped what Angel had done.

Suddenly a sound made him jerk his head up and his eyes fell on the worried face of Anya. They had gradually bonded over shared misery and she occasionally came to visit him just to hang out.

Gingerly stepping closer to him she hunched down and picked up the spread paper.

"Where? What?" shaking his head he soon managed to get a hold of himself and properly asked, "What are you doing here?"

"I, I was actually here to let you know that Dawn's not coming tonight. Buffy had her grounded for something that happened in school today?"

"Is she ok, was it serious?" He forced himself to smile and look worriedly at her.

"She´s ok. What happened? I don´t know the answer to that. They don´t really talk to me anymore."

"I´m sorry."

"It´s ok. It doesn´t really bother me anymore." Looking up at him she then stood and swallowed a few times before asking the question that´s been running around in her head ever since she saw him sitting there reading the letter.

"What´s going on? Are you ok?"

"Oh yeah, sure, I´m ok and nothing is going on."

Lifting her eyebrow she walked closer to him, "That's a load of crap, and we both know it. Tell me and I might be able to help."

Suddenly his eyes flashed yellow and he jumped up making her squeal and take several steps back.

Her heart beat furiously as she squeezed her eyes waiting for his attack but as nothing happened she gingerly opened one eye and peeked out from under her bangs only to see him pacing back and forth like a man possessed. Suddenly he turned to her oblivious to her nervously backing up as he stepped up to her, shooting his hand out revealing the ring while a torrent of words came from his mouth.

She caught none of them as she was stupidly staring at the ring, deeply shocked as she knew which ring it was having seen it almost 900 years ago.

The only thing she did managed to grasp by his torrent of words where the "I need to get to L.A. Need to stop him!"

"Err, if it´s L.A you need to go to, I can take you." She said trying to halt him as he had once again swivelled around walking away.

Hearing her words made him stop abruptly. Looking hopefully at her he asked, "Really you could, tonight?"

"Err actually to-"seeing his crestfallen face she quickly amended her words, "yeah sure, just let me get the car and off we'll go."

Nodding he smiled as he watched her walked to the door of the crypt, not paying attention to the fact that she still held the letter in her hand.

Before she disappeared she threw over her shoulder, "though I want to know what the heck is going on Spike."

Barely twenty minutes later Spike was driving to L.A after managing to get Anya to let him drive. He wasn´t paying any attention to the speed limits as he had only one thing in his mind and that was to stop Angel, hoping that he wasn´t too late.

By the time they reached the city limits Anya was staring blindly out the window as, by Spike's request, she had read the letter Angel had sent him.

He wasn´t able to retell it as the emotions waging war inside him clogged up his throat. But by the few words she had managed to coxed out of him and by the things she had read, she had a pretty good idea of what had happened and it pained her that Spike would be forced to acknowledge the fact that he may very well be to late.

She knew of what rituals Angel was referring to and that they, contrary to what most believed, existed. It was as close to a permanent death as a vampire could come without actually dusting.

To her knowledge no vampire has ever woken up from the living death. Why it was ever created she didn´t know as the knowledge had already slipped into the ghostly mist of the past by the time she became a demon such a long time ago.

Why any vampire would do such a thing went beyond her frankly. Looking over to Spike hunched over the wheel she shook her head.

Such a young one to be the head of the line, the Family. She didn´t think that he really had the quality to be able to pull it off but then again he tended to constantly surprise her. His sire on the other hand – his real one, not the cock and bull story he had told the kids – now he did have them. If only he had gotten past the major issues in his life he would have been a great Leader.

He too seemed a little young to have been a Leader but then again, Angel wasn´t as young as one would think. He too is guilty of the crime of lying. But considering the people he was dealing with at the time is wasn´t really surprising.

Suddenly shaking out of her thoughts she looked around noticing that Spike had pulled over and was starring intently out the windshield. Following his gaze her eyes fell on the huge building that took up most of the block. She was guessing that this must be the Hyperion Hotel. It was very...hmm...impressive to say the least.

Turning her attention back to the vampire sitting beside her she asked, "aren´t you getting out?"

"Err, yes, yes of course."

Stumbling a little as he fumbled with the door handle he made it outside still staring across the street to the foreboding dark building.

Following him, Anya stood on the other side of the car, "Do you know what could have driven him to it?"

His slight shake of his head would have gone unnoticed if she hadn´t been looking for it.

"Well better now then never. Come on." Standing by the side walk she extended her hand to him, beckoning him forward. After a few moments he stepped up to her and without really looking at her walked out on the street, his hand slipping into hers.

She didn´t mention it but squeezed reassuringly as she walked beside him.

Opening the door to the hotel Spike could feel that no one was around which made him wonder where the hell were the humans that normally surrounded Angel.

The lobby was dark and gloomy with an oppressive atmosphere that made the two figures walking in shudder.

"So now what?" Anya asked.

"Now we look around? Figure out where he could have gone...oh I don´t know just something."

Following his nose it didn´t take long for him to find Angel´s room and for a brief moment he managed to forget why he was there as he snickered at the obsessively neat order of the room.

He could feel Anya behind him and walked further in. By the time they had managed to go through the room they had found absolutely nothing, everything seamed to be in place as if Angel was going to returned any minute or worse, he had left with nothing except what he was wearing on his back – just like in China...

There was something that puzzled him until he remembered what he had heard from the demon grapevine.

It was a futile search and half an hour later they had to accept defeat, they weren´t going to find anything worthwhile here.

It was a dejected duo that walked out of the Hotel and when Spike came to the side walk the notion that he had actually lost him, his sire, hit him with the force of a sledgehammer and he stumbled to the ground. Anya, trying to hold him up, was forced to let him go or join him on the ground.

"Sire..."

She could do nothing as she watches her prediction come true – him breaking down.

"What am I going to do now?" he asked looking up at her his eyes shining as he sat on the sidewalk after a long while.

Looking around at the empty street she sighs before joining him beside him, "I don´t know."

"He can´t really be gone, it´s not suppose to be like this!" Spike cried out.

After a few minutes watching him shake she suddenly stood up straight as she remembered something.

Wondering whether she should break the code for him or not – whether to help him or just let things be she mentally shrugged. Spike was one of her very few friends that accepted her as she was and if she didn´t do this for her friend then what would that make her? His friendship doesn´t come with conditions like the others of the group in Sunnydale.

Smiling as the decision was made she once again extended her hand to him and said," There is a way. There is a way to get your sire back."

Shock was hardly the word strong enough to describe what Spike was feeling as his gaze bore into her.

"Really?" he managed to choke out. At her nod he grabbed her hand and let her pull him up.

"It won´t be easy Spike and the chance of actually succeeding is very slim."

"I don´t care. I can´t let things end here."

"Then so be it. Come on."

With that the two figures walked back to the car neither thinking of the people back on the Hellmouth. They were on a mission and damned to any who tried to come up against them.

One master Vampire now turned Leader and one ex-vengeance demon who still had some impressive contacts and favours to claim were not someone to mess with...

The End?

* * *

**AN: **So what do you say? Was it good? Any feedback is appreciated. Aslo I wanted to take the opertunity to thank all of you that have reviewd my stories so far. They truly make my day. 

Also "**_Myths Turned Truth_**" is the semi series from Angel´s POV. You´ll get to know what he actually did and gets some of the answers to the questions that Anya asked herself.

Both it and this fic was inspire while I was listening to the album _Maria_ by Niña Pastori or actually to the song "_Gira y que gira_" which means _Turns and it turns_ - Spanish for those of you that´s wondering. It´s haunting melody is what gave the kick to my muse. Niña Pastori is a Flamenco singer.

If you´re interested on the lyrics just drop a line in your review and I post it as a new chap here together with a translation.

Silvi


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